Or use AT&T deaf plan that have unlimited data (texts, etc) with no voice while you use dumb phone Deaf plan is $40 a month, I think. I think it's a win-win situation.
I'm planning on going this route with the next-generation iPhone. Even if I add a data package, I think I'd average about $18 per month in AT&T GoPhone charges.
Be careful... you could end up stuck with a brick.
AT&T knows what phone you're using and, as noted in other posts, can and does simply block services at any point.
SO, does this mean we can finally take say an iPhone 3GS and use it prepaid like a GoPhone on AT&T WITHOUT having to first unlock?!
If AT&T (or ANYONE) lets you start using an iPhone without a data plan as of October, I'll eat blue M&Ms (I'm as deathly allergic to the coloring in them as some people are to peanuts).
SO, does this mean we can finally take say an iPhone 3GS and use it prepaid like a GoPhone on AT&T WITHOUT having to first unlock?!
You already can, with a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) None of the prepaid data plans are guaranteed to work. So for data, you should expect it to be limited to WiFi only.
2) AT&T will only initially activate the GoPhone plan in conjunction with an approved GoPhone device. So you need a cheap GoPhone to use for initial activation, and then switch the SIM over to the iPhone later.
3) Advanced features like visual voicemail won't be available.
This announcement does not change the status quo in any way - they have not announced any new GoPhone plans that are targeted specifically at the iPhone.
You already can, with a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) None of the prepaid data plans are guaranteed to work. So for data, you should expect it to be limited to WiFi only.
2) AT&T will only initially activate the GoPhone plan in conjunction with an approved GoPhone device. So you need a cheap GoPhone to use for initial activation, and then switch the SIM over to the iPhone later.
3) Advanced features like visual voicemail won't be available.
4) AT&T will eventually add a data plan whenever they want or just outright cancel your service. There's nothing you can do about this.
I have doubts that Verizon's unlimited pre-paid plan would apply to smartphones because it would be a far better deal than their normal plans. I suspect it may only apply to "feature phones" which can use data but only in a limited fashion. If unlimited talk, text, and data were available to data-hogging smartphones there would be no reason for anyone to be on their regular, more expensive smartphone plans.
Right now the pre-paid plan options Verizon lists on their web site are actually worse than their normal plans. $45/month for 450 minutes vs $40/month on their regular plan. Only the $20/month unlimited texting vs $5/$10/$20 options on the regular plans.
The use of "pre-paid" and "post-paid" to describe these plans confuses me...
Once upon a time pre-paid meant you bought X minutes and they were good until you used them (or they might expire after 6/12 months). Pre-paid now seems to just mean non-2-year contract... I suppose your pre-paying for a month of unlimited service, is that it?
Regardless the US market pricing is crap... AT&T is the worst now with thier only SMS plan being unlimited for $20/m and lowest minute package being 450. I want to pay for what I actually use... 200 minutes,20 messages and 1GB of data per month.
Looking forward to getting away from AT&T any way I can and still keep an iPhone and international roaming (GSM). In fact what I'd love more than anythin is for Tim Cook to get up on stage and say "people love th iPhone, but a lot of our customers hate AT&T so were releasing the iPhone to all US carriers including t-mobile and sprint". I hate AT&T to the point and I'm actually considering switching to an android phone just to get away.
There is ZERO reason an iPhone needs a data plan -- ZERO. You can use it as a phone JUST FINE, and use WiFi as necessary!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
If AT&T (or ANYONE) lets you start using an iPhone without a data plan as of October, I'll eat blue M&Ms (I'm as deathly allergic to the coloring in them as some people are to peanuts).
Any idea why the prepaid data plans don't work, of if anyone has found a workaround? I assume unlocking and JB is the workaround?
I would *HARDLY* call visual voicemail "advanced, ITSPs like BroadVoice have had this for YEARS, where voicemails are emailed to you. In fact, shouldn't voicemails just be in your Inbox?!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lfmorrison
You already can, with a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) None of the prepaid data plans are guaranteed to work. So for data, you should expect it to be limited to WiFi only.
2) AT&T will only initially activate the GoPhone plan in conjunction with an approved GoPhone device. So you need a cheap GoPhone to use for initial activation, and then switch the SIM over to the iPhone later.
3) Advanced features like visual voicemail won't be available.
This announcement does not change the status quo in any way - they have not announced any new GoPhone plans that are targeted specifically at the iPhone.
But WHY?! If I have a 3GS that has had its two year contract complete and I pass it down to family or a friend after I upgrade to an iPhone 5, then they should be able to add service to it in GoPhone fashion, without restriction! The person receiving it does NOT want to pay for data separately, and is more than fine with just using WiFI for data!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
4) AT&T will eventually add a data plan whenever they want or just outright cancel your service. There's nothing you can do about this.
But WHY?! If I have a 3GS that has had its two year contract complete and I pass it down to family or a friend after I upgrade to an iPhone 5, then they should be able to add service to it in GoPhone fashion, without restriction! The person receiving it does NOT want to pay for data separately, and is more than fine with just using WiFI for data!
Oh, well. There's nothing we can do about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConradJoe
Translation: I never use turn-by-turn navigation, so I don't realize how handy it is for other people.
Translation: I'm so short-sighted, I can't even tell that he's obviously not calling for the permanent removal of all data plans from the iPhone and making it impossible for anyone to have one if they want them.
I'm ready for a voice plan lower than $40 a month.
I rarely talk on the phone anymore... but I pay more for voice than either texting or data.
Ok I have to say I don't understand what's going on with our country and the cell companies, I've been living in the Philippines for the last few years now...yes I paid around $650 or so for my iPhone 4 it's unlocked can be used wherever here you can buy prepaid sims anywhere here, corner store, vendor...at the telecom or mall anywhere...they only cost a couple of bucks not like when I come home and stop by a Tmobile for a $50 sim "probably more now" but I like them for this because they just sell you the sim and you can use the phone...Here you can use data on the prepaid sim call text "damn you even get free text when you load the card" 85 free for 500 $12 peso card which will last a while you can cut the data off and use wi- fi most of the time but if you need it just switch it on and it's there...it's simple and the U.S. Needs to get with the program you pay for what you use plain and simple....I don't pay for people who call me, only for out going calls ....and this is for text as well only for sending text" why should I have to pay for someone sending me a messg.? Or for someone calling me? Rediculous .....I love our country but I would much rather have the same type of plans and prepaid that they have here.....there really needs to be a change..."reading all of the comments have gotten me a little upset" :?/
In April I bought locked iPhone 4 from Best Buy and I asked them to buy prepaid sim card with data plan,and of course they told me that prepaid plans are not working with iPhone.
Then I was checking on internet and found this site www.unlockit.co.nz. Just open Safari on your Iphone type this address and install certificate for your carrier and that's it. Later I bought prepaid sim card and didn't told guy that I'm going to use it in Iphone, sim was activated with some LG phone I put in my iphone, data plan of 500mb is 25$ and is working perfectly. I don't care about voice plan because I'm from Serbia and using Skype to call my family.
I feel sorry for you guys in the States. Here in Britain I have a 1 month rolling contract which gives me 100 minutes, 3000 texts, 1GB of data and allows me to tether my iPad for £10 ($16).
Wow! $16?! Yet another reason why I'd like to move across the pond.
Just curious, what does a plan with more minutes cost?
AT&T offer 200MB for $15/month and the minimum voice plan required for the iPhone is $40 for 450 min. This is a total of $55.00. Why are you paying $70?!
Because 200MB is not enough for me in the U.S. A 500MB plan would be perfect. So I pay $40 for voice + $25 for data + taxes/fees/etc. and that comes to $70.
My favorite plan is the one I use when I'm in Malaysia. It's a flat US$0.02 per megabyte.
Comments
Or use AT&T deaf plan that have unlimited data (texts, etc) with no voice while you use dumb phone
But is that available for the iPhone?
I'm planning on going this route with the next-generation iPhone. Even if I add a data package, I think I'd average about $18 per month in AT&T GoPhone charges.
Be careful... you could end up stuck with a brick.
AT&T knows what phone you're using and, as noted in other posts, can and does simply block services at any point.
SO, does this mean we can finally take say an iPhone 3GS and use it prepaid like a GoPhone on AT&T WITHOUT having to first unlock?!
If AT&T (or ANYONE) lets you start using an iPhone without a data plan as of October, I'll eat blue M&Ms (I'm as deathly allergic to the coloring in them as some people are to peanuts).
It's just not happening.
SO, does this mean we can finally take say an iPhone 3GS and use it prepaid like a GoPhone on AT&T WITHOUT having to first unlock?!
You already can, with a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) None of the prepaid data plans are guaranteed to work. So for data, you should expect it to be limited to WiFi only.
2) AT&T will only initially activate the GoPhone plan in conjunction with an approved GoPhone device. So you need a cheap GoPhone to use for initial activation, and then switch the SIM over to the iPhone later.
3) Advanced features like visual voicemail won't be available.
This announcement does not change the status quo in any way - they have not announced any new GoPhone plans that are targeted specifically at the iPhone.
You already can, with a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) None of the prepaid data plans are guaranteed to work. So for data, you should expect it to be limited to WiFi only.
2) AT&T will only initially activate the GoPhone plan in conjunction with an approved GoPhone device. So you need a cheap GoPhone to use for initial activation, and then switch the SIM over to the iPhone later.
3) Advanced features like visual voicemail won't be available.
4) AT&T will eventually add a data plan whenever they want or just outright cancel your service. There's nothing you can do about this.
Right now the pre-paid plan options Verizon lists on their web site are actually worse than their normal plans. $45/month for 450 minutes vs $40/month on their regular plan. Only the $20/month unlimited texting vs $5/$10/$20 options on the regular plans.
Once upon a time pre-paid meant you bought X minutes and they were good until you used them (or they might expire after 6/12 months). Pre-paid now seems to just mean non-2-year contract... I suppose your pre-paying for a month of unlimited service, is that it?
Regardless the US market pricing is crap... AT&T is the worst now with thier only SMS plan being unlimited for $20/m and lowest minute package being 450. I want to pay for what I actually use... 200 minutes,20 messages and 1GB of data per month.
Looking forward to getting away from AT&T any way I can and still keep an iPhone and international roaming (GSM). In fact what I'd love more than anythin is for Tim Cook to get up on stage and say "people love th iPhone, but a lot of our customers hate AT&T so were releasing the iPhone to all US carriers including t-mobile and sprint". I hate AT&T to the point and I'm actually considering switching to an android phone just to get away.
If AT&T (or ANYONE) lets you start using an iPhone without a data plan as of October, I'll eat blue M&Ms (I'm as deathly allergic to the coloring in them as some people are to peanuts).
It's just not happening.
There is ZERO reason an iPhone needs a data plan -- ZERO. You can use it as a phone JUST FINE, and use WiFi as necessary!
Yeah, I know. You're preaching to the choir, my friend.
Tell that to the telecoms, however, and they'll laugh you out of their store. A second model of data-free iPhone won't ever happen.
Any idea why the prepaid data plans don't work, of if anyone has found a workaround? I assume unlocking and JB is the workaround?
I would *HARDLY* call visual voicemail "advanced, ITSPs like BroadVoice have had this for YEARS, where voicemails are emailed to you. In fact, shouldn't voicemails just be in your Inbox?!
You already can, with a couple of things to keep in mind:
1) None of the prepaid data plans are guaranteed to work. So for data, you should expect it to be limited to WiFi only.
2) AT&T will only initially activate the GoPhone plan in conjunction with an approved GoPhone device. So you need a cheap GoPhone to use for initial activation, and then switch the SIM over to the iPhone later.
3) Advanced features like visual voicemail won't be available.
This announcement does not change the status quo in any way - they have not announced any new GoPhone plans that are targeted specifically at the iPhone.
4) AT&T will eventually add a data plan whenever they want or just outright cancel your service. There's nothing you can do about this.
There is ZERO reason an iPhone needs a data plan -- ZERO. You can use it as a phone JUST FINE, and use WiFi as necessary!
Translation: I never use turn-by-turn navigation, so I don't realize how handy it is for other people.
Translation: I never use turn-by-turn navigation, so I don't realize how handy it is for other people.
But WHY?! If I have a 3GS that has had its two year contract complete and I pass it down to family or a friend after I upgrade to an iPhone 5, then they should be able to add service to it in GoPhone fashion, without restriction! The person receiving it does NOT want to pay for data separately, and is more than fine with just using WiFI for data!
Oh, well. There's nothing we can do about it.
Translation: I never use turn-by-turn navigation, so I don't realize how handy it is for other people.
Translation: I'm so short-sighted, I can't even tell that he's obviously not calling for the permanent removal of all data plans from the iPhone and making it impossible for anyone to have one if they want them.
I'm ready for a voice plan lower than $40 a month.
I rarely talk on the phone anymore... but I pay more for voice than either texting or data.
Ok I have to say I don't understand what's going on with our country and the cell companies, I've been living in the Philippines for the last few years now...yes I paid around $650 or so for my iPhone 4 it's unlocked can be used wherever here you can buy prepaid sims anywhere here, corner store, vendor...at the telecom or mall anywhere...they only cost a couple of bucks not like when I come home and stop by a Tmobile for a $50 sim "probably more now" but I like them for this because they just sell you the sim and you can use the phone...Here you can use data on the prepaid sim call text "damn you even get free text when you load the card" 85 free for 500 $12 peso card which will last a while you can cut the data off and use wi- fi most of the time but if you need it just switch it on and it's there...it's simple and the U.S. Needs to get with the program you pay for what you use plain and simple....I don't pay for people who call me, only for out going calls ....and this is for text as well only for sending text" why should I have to pay for someone sending me a messg.? Or for someone calling me? Rediculous .....I love our country but I would much rather have the same type of plans and prepaid that they have here.....there really needs to be a change..."reading all of the comments have gotten me a little upset" :?/
In April I bought locked iPhone 4 from Best Buy and I asked them to buy prepaid sim card with data plan,and of course they told me that prepaid plans are not working with iPhone.
Then I was checking on internet and found this site www.unlockit.co.nz. Just open Safari on your Iphone type this address and install certificate for your carrier and that's it. Later I bought prepaid sim card and didn't told guy that I'm going to use it in Iphone, sim was activated with some LG phone I put in my iphone, data plan of 500mb is 25$ and is working perfectly. I don't care about voice plan because I'm from Serbia and using Skype to call my family.
Regards
I feel sorry for you guys in the States. Here in Britain I have a 1 month rolling contract which gives me 100 minutes, 3000 texts, 1GB of data and allows me to tether my iPad for £10 ($16).
Wow! $16?! Yet another reason why I'd like to move across the pond.
Just curious, what does a plan with more minutes cost?
AT&T offer 200MB for $15/month and the minimum voice plan required for the iPhone is $40 for 450 min. This is a total of $55.00. Why are you paying $70?!
Because 200MB is not enough for me in the U.S. A 500MB plan would be perfect. So I pay $40 for voice + $25 for data + taxes/fees/etc. and that comes to $70.
My favorite plan is the one I use when I'm in Malaysia. It's a flat US$0.02 per megabyte.
Wow! $16?! Yet another reason why I'd like to move across the pond.
Just curious, what does a plan with more minutes cost?
1 month sim only contract 300 minutes $24
12 month contract 300 minutes $16
12 month contract 600 minutes $24
all with 3000 texts, 1GB data & tethering with Three Mobile (I don't work for them!!).
If you want to push the boat out, $40 (£25) gets you 2000 minutes, 5000 texts & unlimited data!